Vertical ascent (2003)

In Arctic Canada, at 70 degrees north latitude, a large fjord is lined with precipitous cliffs formed by some 10,000 years of glacial activity. In June, 2003, a Japanese team of climbers embarked on a momentous journey to scale one of these cliffs -- a towering citadel 1200 metres above sea level. Filmed against a p [...]

In Arctic Canada, at 70 degrees north latitude, a large fjord is lined with precipitous cliffs formed by some 10,000 years of glacial activity. In June, 2003, a Japanese team of climbers embarked on a momentous journey to scale one of these cliffs -- a towering citadel 1200 metres above sea level. Filmed against a panoramic Arctic backdrop, this documentary recounts their bold and painstaking ascent, which was hampered by freezing temperatures, snowstorms and treacherously loose rocks.